Hayden Panettiere opened up about some of the most painful chapters of her life just months before her death at 36.

The “Nashville” actress, who died Sunday, Aug. 16, sat down with Jay Shetty for an emotional interview on his “On Purpose” podcast in May. During the podcast she reflected on growing up in the spotlight, her complicated relationship with her mother, her struggles with addiction and the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere.

Panettiere also spoke candidly about motherhood and her relationship with 11-year-old daughter Kaya, whom she shared with her ex Wladimir Klitschko.

The May 11 podcast interview coincided with the release of Panettiere’s memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” and offered the actress an opportunity to tell her story in her own words.

Here’s what Panettiere shared about her life during the interview:

Hayden Panettiere reflected on losing a ‘normal childhood’

Panettiere, who began acting as a baby, told Shetty that her early success came at the expense of many of the experiences she associates with a typical childhood.

While other children spent their days at school, attended birthday parties and formed friendships with their peers, Panettiere was frequently pulled away for auditions and acting jobs. Even when she was able to participate in normal childhood activities, she said she struggled to feel like she belonged.

“I really just wanted to fit in. I wanted to be normal,” Panettiere said, “like every kid.”

By 12, Panettiere said she was already grappling with an identity crisis after spending much of her life stepping into different characters.

“Who am I? Which part am I?” she recalled asking herself. “I can be all of these different characters, and I can find all these parts in me. … But who the heck was I? Like, just without this, who would I be without this?”

Hayden Panettiere, mom had complicated relationship

The “Scream” actress also discussed her strained relationship with her mother and former manager, Lesley Vogel, telling Shetty that the lines between their personal and professional lives became blurred during her childhood.

“She was my boss. That’s how I saw her,” Panettiere said. “And that was, you know, a tough pill to swallow.”

Although Panettiere described her mother as supportive of her career, she said she began to associate performing well with receiving her mother’s approval and affection.

At 19, Panettiere decided to end their professional relationship while she was filming “Heroes.” She recalled telling her mother she didn’t “want us to work together anymore. I just want you to be my mom.”

According to Panettiere, her mother responded, “You owe me,” and walked away.

Panettiere said she later learned her mother was referring to money and was disappointed that ending their business relationship didn’t result in the mother-daughter relationship she hoped for.

At the time of the podcast, Panettiere said the two did not have a relationship.

Hayden Panettiere daughter Kaya custody situation unpacked

Panettiere pushed back against what she called a “common misconception” that she had given up custody of Kaya, whom she welcomed with Klitschko in December 2014.

“The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be OK with it is heartbreaking,” Panettiere said. “Couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The actress opened up about battling postpartum depression, anxiety, alcoholism and substance abuse and said she repeatedly sought treatment as she tried to regain control of her life.

When Kaya was around 2, Panettiere said Kiltschko decided it would be best for their daughter to live in Europe, a decision she recalled initially fighting.

“I did not have a good reaction to it. I went like mother lion,” Panettiere said. “I would have burnt the world down for my child. So that was incredibly difficult.”

But after getting healthy, Panettiere said she recognized that Kaya had built a life in Europe, where she had family, friends and activities, and believed uprooting her would have been unfair.

Panettiere said she remained closely connected to her daughter through frequent visits and FaceTime and described the two as having an “intense, incredible bond.”

Hayden Panettiere discussed ex Wladimir Kiltschko and co-parenting

Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Panettiere spoke warmly about Klitschko and the relationship they had built as co-parents.

“Vlad and I are very close,” Panettiere said when asked about their relationship. “Vlad and I are still best friends. There’s not many people who know me in this world as well as he does. And I know that we still have an incredible amount of love for each other. And most importantly, we have an incredible amount of respect for each other.”

The former couple also made a conscious effort to not allow the end of their relationship to affect how their daughter viewed either parent, Panettiere said.

Hayden Panettiere remembers brother Jansen Panettiere as her ‘rock’

During an emotional part of the interview Panettiere discussed the 2023 death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died at 28.

Panettiere described losing her brother as losing her “other half” while sharing her grief. “The other half that was born to be my yin to my yang. And we were so close, and especially being the older sibling whose job it is to protect them and keep them safe.”

Panettiere said her brother was one of the few people who fully understood her because they had grown up together and experienced many of the same family dynamics. “He was my rock,” she said. “He was the only other person who fully understood everything about me.”

The actress also spoke about the guilt she carried surrounding her brother’s struggle with addiction, “feeling like I failed to keep him safe was really hard,” she said.

‘Scream’ actress Hayden Panettiere dead at 36

Panettiere’s death was confirmed to USA TODAY by her representative on Aug. 16.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father said in a statement.

Panettiere was found unresponsive at Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina. Officers and medical personnel responded to the apartment complex at 701 Easley Bridge Road at approximately 1:51 p.m. after an acquaintance of Panettiere called 911, Greenville Police Sgt. Jonathan Bragg told USA TODAY in a statement.

“Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” Bragg said.

Police said the circumstances surrounding Panettiere’s death remain under investigation.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, you can call theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Contributing: Anika Reed, Taijuan Moorman and Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY